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The Great American Trucking Show

DOCUMENTARY FILM “BE PREPARED TO STOP” SCREENS AT GATS TO EXPOSE IMPACT OF U.S. INFRASTRUCTURE CRISIS ON TRUCKING INDUSTRY

August 2, 2017, 12:30pm

DOCUMENTARY FILM “BE PREPARED TO STOP” SCREENS AT GATS

TO EXPOSE IMPACT OF U.S. INFRASTRUCTURE CRISIS

ON TRUCKING INDUSTRY

DALLAS, Aug 2, 2017 – As the U.S. trucking industry gathers in Dallas for The Great American Trucking Show, the country’s highways and roads are crumbling beneath the tires of trucks trying to deliver products and commodities that Americans depend on every day. To raise awareness of this crisis, “Be Prepared to Stop,” an acclaimed documentary on the failing U.S. infrastructure, will be exclusively screened at the Great American Trucking Show being held Aug. 24-26 at the Kay Bailey Hutchinson Convention Center in Dallas.

“Be Prepared to Stop” will have an invitation-only screening for trucking industry leaders Aug. 25 at 3:30 p.m. in Ballroom C. The film will be screened again for all show attendees Aug. 26 at 11 a.m., 12:30 p.m. and 2 p.m. also in Ballroom C. The film’s co-directors and producers, Jennifer Clymer and Marijane Miller, will both be on-hand to answer questions and meet attendees.

The film is currently available on both iTunes and Amazon. More information is available at www.BePreparedToStop.org. “Be Prepared to Stop” is endorsed by the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association.

If roads, bridges and other parts of the U.S. infrastructure continue to erode at the current rate and trucks are no longer able to safely pass, within only five days the lives of all Americans would come to a complete halt. The result would be a crippling depletion of food, drinking water, medicine, fuel and other daily necessities. Airports would close, trash would pile up, industrial production would stop, public transit would end and the country would come to a standstill. “Be Prepared to Stop” examines the reality of this debilitating scenario, the impact on the economy and Americans’ dependence on the U.S. infrastructure.

“My grandfather was a truck driver and I am alarmed about the poor state of our highway system and the lack of understanding about how dependent we are on it,” said Jennifer Clymer, co-director and executive producer of the film. “I am hoping this film sheds a light on the problem and is a wake-up call that if action is not taken soon there will be significant consequences.”

Co-director and producer Marijane Miller adds, “Our country’s check-engine light has been on for years and if something is not done soon we’ll be stuck. Replacing a transmission is much higher than maintaining one; we need to fix this engine that keeps our country running before it’s too late.”

A few facts:

32 percent of America’s major roads are in poor or mediocre condition and 25 percent of bridges are structurally deficient or functionally obsolete. $146 billion in capital investment would be needed on an annual basis over the next 20 years to significantly improve conditions.

42 percent of America’s major urban highways are congested, costing the economy an estimated $101 billion in wasted time and fuel annually.

The trucking industry hauls 10.49 billion tons of freight every year, or 70.1 percent of total U.S. freight tonnage.

All goods carried by ship, airplane or train reach their final destination by truck. More than 80 percent of U.S. communities depend solely on trucking for delivery of their goods and commodities.

One out of every 14 jobs in the United States is created or directly affected by the trucking industry.

54 million tons of freight move across the nation every day. By 2040 that will increase more than 40 percent.

“Be Prepared to Stop” was produced by Los Angeles-based Delaware Park Productions, Inc. More information is available at BePreparedToStop.org, and on social media @bptsdoc (Twitter/Instagram) and /bepreparedtostop (Facebook). Digital assets and full press materials for editorial use can be downloaded at HonigCompany.com/media. Media can request a full copy of the film by emailing press@honigllc.com.